Description
Black velvet cake celebrates Halloween’s mysterious spirit with dark chocolate and deep cocoa layers. Creamy cream cheese frosting and eerie garnishes complete this spellbinding dessert you’ll want to share with fellow Halloween enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) hot water
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- Black gel food coloring
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz) heavy cream or milk
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- Black gel food coloring
- Halloween sprinkles
- Candy eyes
- Black food coloring gel for piping
- Orange food coloring gel for piping
Instructions
- Preparation Ritual: Ignite the oven to 350F (175C). Meticulously line three 8-inch round cake pans with grease and parchment paper for effortless cake extraction.
- Dry Ingredient Symphony: Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring uniform distribution.
- Liquid Fusion: Whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a separate container until seamlessly blended.
- BatterAlchemy: Gradually unite wet and dry mixtures, stirring until a silky consistency emerges. Introduce hot water, continuing to mix until the batter transforms into a smooth elixir.
- Spectral Coloration: Infuse black gel food coloring, transforming the batter into a profound, midnight-like hue.
- Pan Deployment: Evenly distribute the mysterious batter across prepared cake pans, ensuring balanced volume and mystical potential.
- Baking Incantation: Bake layers for 25-30 minutes, verifying doneness through a clean toothpick test. Allow cakes to rest in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks.
- Buttercream Conjuring: Whip softened butter until creamy, gradually incorporating powdered sugar and cocoa powder to create a velvety frosting foundation.
- Frosting Enchantment: Enhance buttercream with heavy cream, vanilla extract, and black gel food coloring, beating until achieving a ethereal, fluffy consistency.
- Architectural Assembly: Position first cake layer on serving plate, layering buttercream between each subsequent tier. Enrobe the entire cake in black buttercream, crafting a smooth, dramatic exterior.
- Ghoulish Garnishing: Adorn with Halloween-themed decorations – sprinkles, candy eyes, and intricate piping – to complete this spine-chilling culinary masterpiece.
Notes
- Precise Color Control: Use gel food coloring sparingly to achieve deep black without altering cake texture or taste. Start with small amounts and gradually increase for intense color.
- Temperature Precision: Allow ingredients like eggs and buttermilk to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother batter and more consistent cake texture.
- Moisture Management: Do not overmix batter, which can lead to dense, tough cake. Stir just until ingredients combine to maintain light, tender crumb.
- Decoration Flexibility: For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for proper structural integrity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 60 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg